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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038030">Catch Me in the Flames (I've Been Cooking Up All Day)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/athena_crikey/pseuds/athena_crikey'>athena_crikey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Burns, Friendship, M/M, closeness, h/c, oikawa has crazy fans, winners and losers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:22:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/athena_crikey/pseuds/athena_crikey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Aren’t you angry? You could’ve been seriously hurt. You could’ve been <i>blinded</i>.” And then Hinata’d never be able to play again. Kageyama feels like a cold hand has reached in and grasped his stomach and <i>twisted</i>. The very thought makes him sick, his throat closing up and his heart racing threadily. </p>
<p>OR: Oikawa's biggest fans stop by Karasuno.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>186</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Catch Me in the Flames (I've Been Cooking Up All Day)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They have a week after the first round of Nationals qualifiers before the final show-down against Shiratorizawa. They’re so busy with practicing that they hardly even have time to savour their victory against Aoba Johsai, already an amazing feat. Coach takes them over every high point and every mistake of that game, drills them on their strengths and weaknesses until they feel like a well-oiled machine. </p>
<p>It’s cold, fall in Miyagi roaring in like a lion and bringing with it biting winds and early frosts. Without heating in the gym it takes a long time to warm up at the beginning of practice, and by the end of their post-practice meetings sitting on the chilled floorboards they’re freezing. Yachi takes to bringing them tea to drink as they cool down, keeping their cores warm. </p>
<p>Kageyama knows that the entire team is depending on his rhythm with Hinata, on the trust that they’ve built in each other over the past six months. Six months isn’t enough time to make a perfect player, or even a well-rounded one, but Hinata’s come a long way from the kid who only practiced with the old ladies. He’s gone from being a pain in the ass to the one player Kageyama wants to work with above everyone else, to the one he understands best. </p>
<p>At heart, Hinata’s very simple. All he wants is to fly. </p>
<p>These days, all Kageyama wants is to give him wings. </p>
<p>He doesn’t think he could explain this feeling to anyone else. It’s not friendship, and it’s not love. It almost feels like joy, the happiness that comes from seeing someone else so utterly thrilled. He’s never been able to impress his parents who have always had unshakable expectations of him, or his teachers who have looked down at his lack of academic prowess. Even his coaches have always been cautious in their praise lest it go to his head. </p>
<p>Hinata has no restraint at all. When he’s happy the whole world knows it. And when he’s thrilled he shines like the sun. Kageyama can’t help but want to bask in his warmth.</p>
<p>Today, with three days left before the match with Shiratorizawa, Hinata works overtime on receiving – his weakest skill. He practices directly with Asahi-san, their strongest spiker, trying to build up his level to something that might conceivably be able to withstand Ushijima. Kageyama keeps an eye on him as he works on his tosses with Tanaka-san. By the time the end of practice is rolling around his forearms are lobster-red. But he’s still grinning, still begging Asahi-san for more.</p>
<p>The third-year throws in the towel first, heading across the gym to get a drink, and Hinata trots over to the side to watch the remaining players practicing. After a few more minutes Kageyama becomes aware of people at the doorway, of Hinata crossing to talk to them.</p>
<p>“Hey, it’s some girls,” whistles Tanaka, missing a toss. “Good lookers, too! Not that I have eyes for anyone other than Kiyoko-san,” he adds hurriedly as their manager gives him a flat look. “Oi, Kageyama, let’s wrap it up,” he suggests, grabbing the ball and jogging over to check out the girls. Kageyama sighs but wanders over after him.</p>
<p>Hinata’s pushed aside the net blocking the door and is talking to them – two high school students wearing Seijou uniforms. Kageyama’s eyebrows rise. </p>
<p>“– played us on Saturday,” the girl on the left is saying, tall with her hair in thin plaited pigtails. </p>
<p>“Yeah, at the Fall Preliminaries,” says Hinata, surprisingly tactfully not mentioning that they won. “Did you see the game?”</p>
<p>“Of course. We’ve never missed one of Oikawa-san’s matches,” says the girl on the right, her hair a lighter auburn in the bright gym lights. </p>
<p>“Never!” Pigtails has her hands fisted, her entire body tense. “Oikawa-san’s the best player there is!”</p>
<p>“Wow – so you two are fans? I heard he had a fan club!” Hinata’s smiling as always, utterly blasé about talking to two good-looking girls from another school about his rival. Kageyama rolls his eyes. </p>
<p>“We’re his <i>biggest</i> fans,” says the one with auburn hair. </p>
<p>“No one cares about him like we do. <i>No one.</i>”</p>
<p>“Wow, I wished there were girls at our school who wanted to come out and watch us play. Although we do have Shimizu-san and Yachi – they’re pretty cool.” Hinata is blathering on, apparently unaware of the intensity of the girls’ tones, of the hard look in their eyes. Kageyama steps closer, coming up behind him. The girl with pigtails looks up at him.</p>
<p>“You’re the one who used to play with Oikawa-san. The traitor,” she says.</p>
<p>Hinata looks up at Kageyama, blinking, eyes wide. “Traitor?”</p>
<p>“And <i>you’re</i> the one who won the match point. Who made us lose! Who defeated <i>Oikawa-san</i>,” spits the other, pointing at Hinata. </p>
<p>“Well, yeah, we won the match – we’re playing Shiratorizawa next, and …”</p>
<p>“How did you do it?” cuts in the girl with pigtails. “You must have cheated. No one but that freak Ushijima has ever beaten Oikawa-san.”</p>
<p>“What?” Hinata sounds surprised.</p>
<p>“<i>Obviously</i> you cheated. You’re just some no-name from some has-been school. There’s no way you could win fair and square.”</p>
<p>“No way.”</p>
<p>“Hey, look, I’d never cheat,” begins Hinata. </p>
<p>“I think that’s enough,” starts Kageyama at the same time, putting a hand on Hinata’s shoulders and glaring at the girls.</p>
<p>At the same time, Yachi arrives from the school with a tray of teacups full of steaming tea for the post-match meeting. </p>
<p>“Cheater!” shouts the girl with pigtails. And, before Kageyama can react, she grabs a cup of tea and throws the scalding liquid in Hinata’s face. </p>
<p>Tanaka shouts at her; Yachi squeaks and drops the tray with teacups with a resounding crash. Kageyama shoves forward, grabs Hinata around the shoulders, and pulls him towards the sinks in the schoolyard. “Get the nurse,” he shouts behind him; someone runs off towards the main school building.</p>
<p>Hinata’s making sounds of pain and rubbing blindly at his face, stumbling over his feet as Kageyama drags him. Frustrated at their speed Kageyama simply scoops him up and runs to the sink troughs, turning on the stream full blast and sticking Hinata’s head under the water. There’s only one temperature and in the fall it’s freezing. As Hinata twists under the flow he yanks his shirt off, starting the tap beside him and soaking the cotton through. He pulls Hinata out from under the stream and presses his shirt to his already-red skin. </p>
<p>“Breathe,” orders Kageyama as the rest of the team appears, Coach shoving out to the front. Kageyama’s got his arm wrapped around Hinata’s narrow shoulders, is holding him up as he pants in pain. </p>
<p>“Hinata?” asks Coach, his face tense, his eyes sharp. </p>
<p>“’Mm okay,” he whispers, holding Kageyama’s shirt to his face. </p>
<p>“Keep the cold cloth there until the nurse comes,” says Coach. </p>
<p>“That <i>crazy psycho</i> just threw <i>scalding water</i> at him,” snarls Noya. “We should march right over to Seijou and <i>knock some heads!</i>”</p>
<p>“Nishinoya,” snaps Daichi-san. </p>
<p>“No one’s bashing any heads,” says Coach. “Sensei’s talking to the girls. He’ll take care of it.”</p>
<p>“Sensei’s a sucker; he’ll let them off with a slap on the wrist,” interjects Tanaka. </p>
<p>Kageyama listens to the back-and-forth with half an ear. He’s really only focused on Hinata who is beginning to shiver beside him. Kageyama realises suddenly how cold it is out here, and that he’s no longer even wearing a shirt; his skin immediately starts to form goosebumps. He looks up to ask where the nurse is and sees Suga-san hurrying over across the courtyard with her. There are a couple of other teachers, including the disciplinary teacher, with him; they split off and head for the gym. </p>
<p>The nurse is a nice middle-aged woman named Tsuruya-san, with a close-cut bob and a white coat. She pushes past Coach and ducks down in front of Hinata. “Hinata-kun? Can you show me your face?”</p>
<p>Slowly Hinata peels the shirt away. His skin is red and his eyes puffy, like a bad sunburn on day two. “Follow my finger with your eyes.” She moves her finger back and forth and up and down, Hinata following it without moving his head. “Any blurriness?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“Is there anything strange with your vision?”</p>
<p>He shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Good. Soak that shirt again and put it on, and we’ll go back to my office. You need to keep the skin cool to avoid further burning.”</p>
<p>Kageyama’s already grabbed the shirt and is running it under the sink and then wringing it out before handing it back to Hinata. Hinata stays close by his side, and Kageyama for the first time since he’s known him perceives him as small, vulnerable. </p>
<p>“I’ll come too,” he says, without making it a question. Coach glances at him but then nods. </p>
<p>“The rest of you, back to the gym. Sugawara, get Kageyama his school clothes first.”</p>
<p>They split off in different directions. Kageyama walks Hinata forward, his hands on the blocker’s shoulders, steering him to the main school building. Tsuruya-san walks beside him. </p>
<p>The school at this time of night is mostly empty, just teachers in the teacher’s room. The nurse’s office is just one door further down; Tsuruya-san enters first, holding the door for them. Kageyama walks Hinata over to one of the two beds. “Sit,” he says. Hinata sits. </p>
<p>“How do you feel, Hinata-kun?”</p>
<p>“It stings, but the cold cloth helps.”</p>
<p>“Good. You need to keep that on for at least twenty minutes. There doesn’t seem to be any damage to your eyes.”</p>
<p>“Will it stop me playing on Thursday?” asks Hinata, voice muffled but anxiety very clear. Beside him Kageyama tenses.</p>
<p>“No, I don’t think so. It may be tender and flake a little, but serious damage has been avoided. You’re very lucky.”</p>
<p>“’S ‘cause of Kageyama,” says Hinata. His elbow knocks against Kageyama’s; the setter startles. </p>
<p>“Anyone would’ve done the same,” he mutters. </p>
<p>“But I always know I can count on Kageyama.” He sounds pleased, sounds light-hearted. Kageyama frowns.</p>
<p>“Aren’t you angry? You could’ve been seriously hurt. You could’ve been <i>blinded</i>.” And then he’d never be able to play again. Kageyama feels like a cold hand has reached in and grasped his stomach and <i>twisted</i>. The very thought makes him sick, his throat closing up and his heart racing threadily. </p>
<p>Hinata lives for volleyball; he’s so much more than <i>interested</i> or <i>enthusiastic</i> or <i>dedicated</i> or any of the other words people who don’t understand what it is to love something with your whole being use. Without volleyball he would be empty, would be bereft. </p>
<p>Just as Kageyama would be. He suddenly wants to pull Hinata close, to reassure himself that he’s okay, to destroy the gaping, sucking fear in his gut.</p>
<p>Instead he just presses his elbow closer, feels Hinata push back. </p>
<p>Somehow, it’s enough.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>***</p>
</div>Tsuruya-san goes out to check on something in the teacher’s room, and Suga-san shows up a few minutes later with both their school uniforms and bags from the club room. “Hayashi-sensei called Seijou,” he says, naming the discipline teacher. “They’re coming to pick up the girls.”<p>“And expel them?” asks Kageyama, entirely seriously. Suga-san looks at him sympathetically.</p>
<p>“They’re in a lot of trouble, certainly,” he agrees more mildly. “The principal’s giving them a lecture right now. How’s Hinata?” he adds, looking at the blocker who perks up at his name. </p>
<p>“I’m okay.” He drops the shirt for Kageyama to re-wet in the small sink. His face is the same burnt red, but Kageyama’s getting used to it. He rinses his shirt, wrings it out, and hands it back. When that’s done he digs through his bag for his undershirt and uniform tee. “Tsuruya-san says I can still play.”</p>
<p>Suga-san smiles. “That’s great, Hinata.”</p>
<p>Hinata looks up and grins briefly, then reapplies the shirt.</p>
<p>“Coach is wrapping up early tonight. I’ll let you know if there’s anything important from the meeting.”</p>
<p>“Thanks Suga-san,” says Kageyama as the third-year leaves the nurse’s office. </p>
<p>Hinata leans back on the bed, kicking his feet. After a while he straightens up. “Do you really mean it, Kageyama?”</p>
<p>“Mean what?”</p>
<p>“That they should be expelled?”</p>
<p>“Don’t you think so? They could’ve ended your volleyball career.”</p>
<p>“I think what they did was wrong. And no one who really loves volleyball would’ve done it. But… I can understand loving something so much you’d do anything for it. Maybe that’s what they feel about Oikawa-san.”</p>
<p>“Then they’re doubly sick to love that bastard,” grunts Kageyama. </p>
<p>“They probably didn’t mean to hurt me. They were just angry. Losing makes people do crazy stuff.”</p>
<p>“They weren’t even the ones who lost! No one on Seijou’s team came over here looking for revenge.”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah. Because they understood why they lost. They saw every play on the court, and they know we earned our win. But when all you understand is titles like winner or loser… that’s easy to get confused.”</p>
<p>“I’m not going to forgive them,” says Kageyama, crossing his arms. He can almost sense Hinata smiling.</p>
<p>“It’s funny…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“If it’d been you they threw the tea on, not me… I think I’d feel the same. Somehow it’s easier to be generous when it’s me.”</p>
<p>Kageyama’s eyebrows rise. “Then you need to sort out your priorities, dumbass. You’re the one who’s going to have to live with the consequences. Of course you’re most important.”</p>
<p>“Mm,” hums Hinata quietly. “Maybe.”</p>
<p>Before Kageyama can reply to that the door opens. He looks up to see Tsuruya-san, and behind her Hayashi-sensei. “Hinata-kun, the two Aoba Johsai students are going back to their school. Before they go, the principal has asked them to apologize to you.”</p>
<p>Kageyama gets up, bristling. Hinata drops the shirt from his face and grabs his arm, holding him back. “Okay,” he says, placidly. Kageyama looks at him, but he’s staring at the door.</p>
<p>Hayashi-sensei moves aside and the two girls come to stand in the doorway. They’re both red-faced from crying, their hands balled at their sides. The one in plaits – the one who threw the tea – bends first, the other following. They both bow low. “We’re very sorry!”</p>
<p>They stay bent low for several seconds before slowly straightening, looking across at Hinata apprehensively. </p>
<p>“You know,” he says, “if the opposite had happened – if we had lost and some of our students went over and hurt Oikawa-san, I’d be really upset. I know we’re rivals, and that emotions run high at matches. But we respect each other. We only want the best for each other, you know. I’m sure Oikawa-san feels the same.”</p>
<p>Kageyama glowers to refrain from snorting. Hinata’s always been far too kind. He doesn’t understand that bastard Oikawa one bit. </p>
<p>Although it does make him wonder just how much he understands Hinata. </p>
<p>“We’re sorry,” the girls say again, bowing more shallowly this time, and then Hayashi-sensei leads them away. </p>
<p>“That was very well-said, Hinata-kun,” says Tsuruya-san. She steps in and raises his face with gentle fingers, then feels his skin with the backs of them. “You can stop applying the wet cloth now. We’ve stopped the skin from burning further. The redness will fade over the next few days. Hopefully you’ll be back to normal by your next match. I hear there will be cameras there,” she adds, smiling. </p>
<p>Hinata blinks. “I never thought of that! Kageyama! What if I look like a lobster? With this hair? What will they say? Overcooked carrot Hinata-senshuu made a brilliant spike?” He’s pulling at his hair with a horrified expression.</p>
<p>“This is what you’re worried about?”</p>
<p>Hinata looks up. “Wouldn’t you be?”</p>
<p>“I don’t really care what I look like.”</p>
<p>“That’s because you’re tall. They don’t pick on you. But everyone looks at me!”</p>
<p>Kageyama refrains from pointing out that, as the team’s genius setter, quite a lot of the attention is in fact on him. Instead he just sighs. “Look. Tsuruya-san said it’ll be mostly better by then. So just hope for that. Right?”</p>
<p>Hinata slowly lowers his arms, drooping. “I guess.”</p>
<p>“Good. Then let’s go get changed and then go home.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>***</p>
</div>They change in the washroom and then head out into the courtyard. To Kageyama’s surprise the whole team is waiting by the front gate for them. Noya and Takana run forward to give Hinata a noogie, Tanaka throwing his arm over Hinata’s shoulders and pulling him down for Noya. Then, before Hinata can shove them off, Yachi comes flying forward crying.<p>“Hinataaaa! I’m so sorry!” She throws herself onto the ground in dogeza, bowing repeatedly. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m –”</p>
<p>“Yachi! Quit it!” Hinata grabs her and pulls her up. “It wasn’t your fault at all!”</p>
<p>“I was careless, and you could have been seriously hurt, and –”</p>
<p>“Yachi. Really. It’s not your fault. Okay?” Hinata holds her shoulders and looks at her seriously until she slowly nods. </p>
<p>“See, Hitoka-chan?” murmurs Shimizu-san, coming forward and putting her arm around Yachi. “It’s alright.”</p>
<p>“Kiyoko-saaaan!” She throws herself on Shimizu-san while Noya and Tanaka look on enviously. </p>
<p>“You’re really okay, Hinata?” asks Daichi-san, at the back of the group with Suga-san and Asahi-san.</p>
<p>Hinata nods. “Yeah. The nurse says I’m okay to play in the Shiratorizawa game.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad. Everyone was worried about you.”</p>
<p>Hinata ducks his head. “Sorry.”</p>
<p>“It’s not your fault either, Hinata,” says Suga-san softly. </p>
<p>“But that doesn’t mean anyone’s going over to Seijou to cause trouble,” adds Daichi-san ominously, looking at Noya and Tanaka who look away guiltily. “Does it?” he asks, and waits until they both nod to move on. “Hinata, Sensei called your mom to come pick you up. She should be here soon.”</p>
<p>“I can bike –”</p>
<p>“Just accept the ride,” says Daichi-san, smiling. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” He ushers the others out towards the road. </p>
<p>“I’ll stay.” Kageyama plants himself beside Hinata. “Just until she gets here.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>***</p>
</div>“I think you’re wrong about Oikawa,” he says as they wait. “He might cry crocodile tears for you, but not real ones.”<p>Hinata looks up at him, smiles. “You and he really don’t get along, huh?”</p>
<p>“He’s an annoying jerk. And he was a terrible senpai.”</p>
<p>“Maybe you were a terrible kouhai.”</p>
<p>Kageyama considers it. “Well. Probably. But that’s not an excuse.”</p>
<p>“No, but it colours your perception. I think Oikawa-san’s a good guy at heart. He just covers it up with a lot of…”</p>
<p>“Crap? Assholery? Shittiness?”</p>
<p>“Attitude,” says Hinata. Kageyama snorts. “But at the bottom, he’s like us. He loves the sport more than anything. And he understands the way we think, just like we understand the way he thinks. No one who does could have done what those girls did, or been glad of it.”</p>
<p>Kageyama thinks of the long history of professional sports sabotage by jealous players, of broken equipment and broken bones. Hinata’s not naïve enough to be ignorant of it. But he chooses not to see it. Those eyes of his only see the best in others, see the potential in everyone. </p>
<p>They’re what picked Kageyama as his setter. He’ll never disappoint them.</p>
<p>“Hey,” he says, putting down his bag and pulling out a ball. “Want to practice a few receives?”</p>
<p>END</p>
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